From rural Wisconsin to urban Miami, postsecondary education is facing increased scrutiny. Colleges and universities are responding to calls for transparency while reacting to substantial cuts in appropriations. Coupled with these mounting pressures are rising expectations from industry, government, and the public to increase the number of graduates and improve the quality of their educational experience. Institutional leaders are expected to do more with less while documenting the process for everyone to see. Community colleges are among the most responsive of all postsecondary education institutions to societal change. They have strong ties to local industry and government and play a role in promoting regional economic development. Consequently, community college leaders are on the front lines navigating the volatile terrain ahead for postsecondary education. This chapter will explore community college governance in a wider societal context, detailing external and internal factors that affect it. In addition, the authors discuss what matters about community college governance and raise a number of questions about the roles of various governance groups and structures. Finally, they explore the roles of different institutional leaders and the variation within governance models and processes.